


The Truth Will Always be the Truth

by punk_rock_yuppie



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 5+1 Fic, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Minor Angst, minor hurt/comfort, set sometime in the indeterminate future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 11:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9653780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: 5 times someone doubted they’re dating, and 1 time everyone believed.





	

**Author's Note:**

> based on a prompt sent in by an anon on tumblr; had fun writing this, hope you guys like it!

**1**

“You… and Jughead?” Betty’s face is wide-eyed and innocent. She tilts her head a little to the side and her lips drop open in a small ‘o’ of surprise. Just as fast, her lips snap shut with a pop and her expression turns sheepish. She looks away from them both, looks down at her half-finished milkshake, looks back at them and then away again. The giggle that bursts from her politely pursed lips sounds more like a hiccup, but she can’t hide the disbelief in her blue eyes.

“Is it really so hard to believe?” Jughead cuts in before Archie can even begin. “Betty, you know I’m ace, that doesn’t mean I can’t have _feelings_.”

“That’s not what I meant!” She waves her hands, a gesture that’s probably meant to be reassuring but mostly looks frantic. “I just mean—I never realized Archie was your type.” Betty shrugs and her cheeks flush in embarrassment. “It’s just kind of surprising.”

Jughead groans and rolls his eyes; when Archie opens his mouth to keep speaking, Jughead elbows him none-too-subtly in the ribs. The booth falls suspiciously silent for a while aside from the sounds of three kids sucking down milkshakes.

“Seen any good movies lately?” Betty asks after who knows how long. Like moth to a flame, Archie dives into the new conversation.

 

**2**

“Andrews is dating Jughead?” Reggie’s voice is loud in the rec room, and the sound draws all eyes to him. He laughs, throws his head back and guffaws for far longer than necessary. “Yeah, like that’d ever happen.”

Jughead doesn’t bother holding Archie back when the red head leans forward and punches Reggie in the knee. Hell, Jughead even barks out a laugh at Reggie’s scandalized expression.

“What?” Reggie squawks, indignant. He opens his mouth to no doubt continue with a verbal, inane assault on Jughead’s character, but another punch to the knee stops him.

“You know I’m bi,” Archie snaps back; he ignores the few murmurs that start to circulate and keeps his attention focused on Reggie. “Why wouldn’t I be dating Jughead?”

Reggie’s mouth opens again and Jughead clears his throat. “Don’t answer that, Mantle.”

His mouth closes with a click.

 

**3**

“Why do you do it?” Veronica asks in a low tone. She leans over the table and her perfectly manicured eyebrows arch with intrigue.

Jughead stops noisily slurping down his soda to look at her. “What?” He asks after a deep swallow of carbonated sweetness.

“Why do you two do it? Is it to get your parents off your back or something? Are you trying to make a statement?” Veronica’s nails beat rhythmically on the table, and her gaze fast becomes piercing.

“I repeat: what?” Jughead pushes his soda aside and eyes his fries. Suddenly his gut is churning, and fried-greasy-goodness doesn’t sound quite as appetizing. “What on earth are you talking about?”

Veronica sighs, far too dramatic for Jughead’s taste. “You and Archie, this whole dating thing!”

Jughead blinks. “We’re… dating…” He opens his mouth to continue but can’t think of anything else to say. It’s pretty cut and dry.

“Right, yeah, sure—why the charade?”

“Charade?” Jughead scowls. “It’s not like that,” he retorts, voice sharp.

Veronica reels back, hands raised in surrender. “Alright, alright, forget I asked.”

 

**4**

“Should we leave the door open?” Archie asks as he and Jughead meander toward his bedroom.

“Why?” Jughead and Fred’s voice twine in unison. They share a look of surprise, then both stare back at Archie.

“Well, cuz, y’know, the whole dating thing. Isn’t that the responsible thing to do? Leave the door open?” Archie’s blush covers his face from hairline to chin, and Jughead is looking the same in no time.

Fred laughs. “Sometimes it’s like you two are from another planet.” He claps Jughead on the shoulder, then Archie, a clear dismissal.

Archie and Jughead slip into the room and just for good measure, Archie leaves the door halfway open. Jughead turns to him with arms crossed.

Archie opens his mouth but nothing comes out.

“Thought you’d be getting lucky, Andrews?” Jughead taunts. He rolls his eyes and moves toward the bed. “God, you’re such a cliché sometimes.”

Archie sighs. “C’mon, Jug.”

Jughead holds up a hand to shush his boyfriend. “C’mere. Maybe if your dad walks in on us cuddling, he’ll finally believe us.”

Archie shrugs off his jacket. “Hasn’t worked the past five times you’ve been over, but I’m okay with that.”

 

**5**

It’s the scoff heard round the world. Nearly the entire lunchroom falls silent and all attention turns to Cheryl Blossom. She’s perched daintily at the end of the lunch table Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica all sit at. Cheryl tosses her hair over her shoulder in a well-practiced flurry and the scoff morphs into a laugh.

“Archie and _Jones_? I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Jughead lifts his hand that’s linked tight with Archie’s. “Right here, you’re seeing it.”

“Oh, please, that’s hardly dating.” The corner of her stark red lips quirks up on one side, and she leans over the table. Her eyes never waver from staring down Jughead. “Let’s see a kiss, hm? A _real_ one, none of that on the cheek stuff.”

Jughead’s stomach lurches. “We’re not some circus monkeys, here for your amusement.” His palms go clammy and a lump of panic forms in his throat. He first squeezes Archie’s hand and then unlinks their fingers as though he’s been burned. He looks down at his lunch and swallows the slew of nasty things he wants to say. He’s simultaneously thankful that he’s eaten (lest he ruin his appetite) and regretting even coming to lunch today (he might throw up, all over poor Betty).

“Jug,” Archie whispers. “She’s gone.”

Jughead looks up and realizes the world has continued moving without him. Cheryl is gone and no one is looking at their table anymore. He still doesn’t hold Archie’s hand again for the rest of lunch.

 

**+1**

“Everyone is staring.”

“Well, you do look amazing.”

Jughead groans and pinches the side of Archie’s neck. “Sap.”

“Just honest.” Archie’s fingertips flex on Jughead’s waist. He leans in and brushes their noses together. “Forget about them, just focus on me.”

“Easier said than done when literally all of our peers are gaping at us like we’ve walked out of another dimension.” Jughead peers around, not caring if he’s caught staring—everyone else is staring too. Openly, silently, mouths hanging open and whispers abound. He grips Archie’s hips tighter too, probably too hard. “This is weird.”

“We can leave,” Archie replies immediately. He hasn’t stopped staring at Jughead since the night began; it’s both flattering and off-putting in equal measure.

“It’s _prom_ , you don’t just ditch _prom_.”

Archie snorts. “You would.”

Jughead purses his lips. “You want to stay?”

“I want to be wherever you are, Juggie.”

Jughead leans his head forward and groans. “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” Archie says, amusement dancing in his tone.

“Being romantic. It’s gross.”

Archie’s laugh vibrates between their bodies. “We can leave,” he says again. “I really don’t mind. We can leave and marathon _Ash vs Evil Dead_ up in the treehouse.” He kisses Jughead’s temple to a chorus of gasps from other students.

Jughead shakes his head. “No, no.” He looks up and sighs, steeling himself against the reactions bubbling around them. “About time they actually believe us, you know?” Jughead looks around again and gives the stink eye to anyone staring a little too intently.

Archie hums in agreement and presses their foreheads together. “Just focus on me,” he says again. “Focus on _us_.” He grins.

“Okay,” Jughead says through a breathless laugh. “Okay.”


End file.
